Is Worth Charging for STD Tests? And Where’s The Morning After Pill?

STD Testing
According to Director of Worth Health Center Beth Kotarski, the answer is definitely still no. The only change in Worth policy is that students now have the ability to use their medical insurance to pay for laboratory testing. However, “If students don’t want that method (and many do), lab testing will still be negotiated for low or no cost,” she explained in an e-mail. HIV testing is still free to all Swarthmore students, and is available bi-weekly. “So this reflects minor changes, and is still an amazing value, compared with many of the surrounding colleges and clinics,” said Kotarski. “Of course, any student who does not have the means for any of the above payment for lab testing will not be denied the lab service.”

Morning After Pill
There must have been more to Screw Your Roommate than awkward dinners and wacky costumes this year, because Worth ran out of the morning after pill following that weekend. Worth has re-ordered, and the pill should be in stock this week. Kotarski wanted to remind students that the pill can also be purchased over the counter at virtually all the drug stores in the area.

“I have a feeling use of emergency contraception here is up partly because of the increased awareness of it with the Plan B articles. That’s a positive outcome of getting the word out that we can offer Plan B here,” she said. “We just have to remind students that it’s not an effective birth control method for regular use.”

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Every student has insurance, and almost every insurance allows for a few free STD tests each year. If a student chooses to use their insurance coverage they are saving Worth money (so that they can continue offering Plan B for reduced cost, antibiotics for free, birth control for no mark-up, free bandaids, stay open 24 hrs, etc.), and the Health Center will work with your insurance company for you to file the claim.

Plan B can be purchased over the counter at Genuardi’s (on the pike), CVS (on the pike and on 320), and Target (on the pike).